From:	onbehalfof+muriel.cuendet+unige.ch@manuscriptcentral.com on behalf of 
muriel.cuendet@unige.ch
Sent:	12 March 2015 22:35
To:	rankovic@kg.ac.rs
Subject:	Pharmaceutical Biology - Invitation to Review Manuscript ID NPHB-2015-
0572

12-Mar-2015

Dear Professor Branislav Rankovic:

The above manuscript, entitled "The cytotoxic effect of <i>Pelargonium 
quercetorum</i> Agnew by inducing apoptosis-like cell death on non-small cell 
lung cancer cell lines" with Professor Ulukaya as contact author has been 
submitted to Pharmaceutical Biology.

I would be grateful if you would kindly agree to act as a reviewer for this 
paper.  The abstract appears at the end of this letter, along with the names 
of the authors.

Please let me know as soon as possible if you will be able to accept my 
invitation to review.  To do this please either click the appropriate link 
below to automatically register your reply with our online manuscript 
submission and review system, or e-mail me with your reply.

Agreed: 
https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/nphb?URL_MASK=82cd1b5b967a425a98b0cb957fdc4ef
d

Declined: 
https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/nphb?URL_MASK=9e8b2d47d0a04cf591f442f8ac10056
1

Unavailable: 
https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/nphb?URL_MASK=835ef970cd4f436d82a3779ecbaa56d
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I realise that our expert reviewers greatly contribute to the high standards 
of the Journal, and I thank you for your present and/or future participation.

Sincerely,

Muriel Cuendet, Ph.D.
Associate Editor
Pharmaceutical Biology


MANUSCRIPT DETAILS

TITLE: The cytotoxic effect of <i>Pelargonium quercetorum</i> Agnew by 
inducing apoptosis-like cell death on non-small cell lung cancer cell lines

AUTHORS: Aztopal, Nazlihan; Cevatemre, Buse; Sarimahmut, Mehmet; Ari, Ferda; 
Dere, Egemen; Ozel, Mustafa; Firat, Mehmet; Ulukaya, Engin

ABSTRACT: Context: <i>Pelargonium</i> species have various uses in folk 
medicine as traditional remedies and several of them have been screened for 
their biological activity including cancer.  <i>Pelargonium quercetorum</i> 
Agnew (<i>P. quercetorum</i>) is known as Tolk in the Gecitli Township located 
in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey and used traditionally for its 
antihelminthic activity. However, there is a gap in the literature about its 
biological activity and this is the first study regarding the anti-
growth/cytotoxic activity of <i>P. quercetorum</i>.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the anticancer activity of 
<i>P. quercetorum</i> Agnew extract on lung cancer cell lines with varying 
properties (e.g. EGFR mutation status). Materials and methods: Following the 
analyses of its chemical composition, cytotoxic activity was screened by the 
MTT and ATP cell viability tests. M30 and M65 assays were used to determine 
the cell death mode (apoptosis vs necrosis) result from the cytotoxic effect 
of <i>P. quercetorum</i> extract. For apoptosis, additional methods (Annexin-
V-FITC and Hoechst 33342 staining) were employed. Furthermore, results were 
supported with Western blot. 
Results: It has been determined that methanol extract of <i>P. quercetorum</i> 
has a cytotoxic effect on cells by inducing apoptosis-like cell death in a 
dose dependent manner. 
Conclusion: The results seem to be promising and warrant in vivo experiments 
for further understanding of this extract in the treatment of lung cancer.



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